Canine Health Information Center
“CHIC”

By Gayle Kaye

CHIC is a centralized canine health database jointly sponsored by the AKC/Canine Health Foundation (AKC/CHF) and the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA). Working with parent clubs, CHIC provides an important resource for breeders and owners of participating purebred dogs to research and maintain information on the health issues prevalent in specific breeds.

CHIC also maintains a DNA Bank (co-sponsored by the OFA and the AKC/CHF) that collects and stores canine DNA samples along with corresponding genealogic and phenotypic information in order to facilitate future research and testing, aimed at reducing the incidence of inherited disease in dogs.

The Collie Club of America is a participating member of CHIC and currently two tests are needed in order to obtain CHIC numbers and be listed in the CHIC database. For Collies the two tests are: